Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has blamed the economic travails which Nigeria has been facing as a result of the drop in oil price across the world on too many leakages in the nation’s economic management during oil boom era.
“During the oil boom, when a barrel of oil sold above 100 dollars, there were too many leakages which the Federal Government is now trying to resolve by plugging them. When this is effectively achieved, I believe the economy will begin to regain its stability.
“However, we must begin to explore other avenues to wealth aside from crude oil, especially agriculture which we were formerly used to. We really should not be complaining.” he said.
Dangote, “who spoke to newsmen during a condolence visit to the Awolowo family over the death of Mrs. Hannah Awolowo (HID) at the family’s residence in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun, called on the Federal Government to implement policies that would attract investors and enable manufacturing sector to thrive and fast-track economic growth.
He advised that Nigerians not worry too much about fall in oil prices, and that the economy would soon become stable through the austerity measures adopted by the Buhari government.
The billionaire business mogul said that he had no interest in actively participating in politics as according to him, business and politics should never be mixed. He added that the set of skills required to become successful in business differed from those of politics.
“I can’t be in politics because they say when you want to clap you need two hands. If all of us in business go into politics then who is going to create the jobs?
“We are in the private sector so we should be creating jobs. Government should be creating good policies and also ensuring that we are not taking advantage of the poor.
“They are doing what they know how to do best and we are also doing what we know how to do best. Each is a master in its own terrain,” Dangote said.
Dangote described the late HID Awolowo as a great woman whose name would forever remain immortalized in the nation’s history. [myad]
